Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-04-08
THEIR FIRST DECISION.
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COM.
MISSION GRANTS A REQUEST.

Southern Railway and Steamship AssOcia.
tion Permitted to Charge Less for = Long
HAUL Than for Short One-A Lost .lild
Observation-Disclosures News.
WASHINGTON, April Tho interstate
commerce commission passed most of the
day in private conference, celebrating on
the application of the Southern Railway and
Steamship associations for temporary sus-
pension Of the long and short haul clause Of
of the law. Late in the afternoon the COM
missioners agreed on the terms of their an
swer, and at o'clock in the evening their
formal reply was completed.
In it they say that: Application having
been made to the inter state commerce COM
mission, under Section Al Of the act to regu-
late commerce, by the Southern Railway and
Steamship association, an organization COM
posed of twenty mine railroad companies.
Lines and systems, and steamship lines oper-
ted In connection Herewith, to charge less
for longer than for shorter distances in GER
tain cases for the transportation of property
from and to the principa cities of the north
and south, between Boston and New Orleans,
Norfolk and Memphis; and said common
carriers having presented as q reason for
granting their application, the existence of
water and other competition, claiming that
the same cannot be met except by maintain
ing the rates heretofore established to and
from the said points, which are alleged to be
too low to enable said common carriers to
carry on business il applied to local inter
mediate points; and further claiming that
great disturbance Of business will occur if
present traffic arrangements and rates are
Immediately changed; it is ordered.
THAT the said app cation be and hereby
Is granted temporarily I; subject to modifica-
ton or revocation by the commission at any
time upon hearing or otherwise, and the said
common carriers are hereby temporarily re-
ieved from the operation of the fourth sec
ton Of said act to the extent specified in the
recitals Of this order, and for period not
greater than ninety days from this date;
subject, however, to the restriction that none
of the said common carriers, while this order
remains in force, shall in any case charge or
receive compensation for the transportation
of property between stations on their respec-
tive lines where more is charged for shorter
than for q longer haul, which shall be greater
than the rates in force, and charged and
received by said carriers respectively on the
31st day of March, 1887, schedules OF which
Printed copies Of this order are to be
posted in all stations of the roads interested.
The commission will convene at Atlanta, Ga,
on the 18th day Of April; Mobile, Ala, April
20; New Orleans, May 2, and Memphis,
Tenn, May, 4, for the consideration Of the
matter of the petition Of the southern com
panies, at which places and times they may
appear and present application for relief
Thar annlication must show the precise re-
lief desired, and at the same places and times
any person interested in opposing any such
applications may also appear and be heard,
and at any time prior to May the commits
sion win receive printed or written commu-
nications in support or in opposition to the
-elief asked by these petitions. TINS an.
nouncement respecting time and places Of
hearing and method Of procedure, il subject
to change or enlargement in the discretion Of
the commission.
.xonntmw n Nannk0V. 2